An E-LAN (Ethernet Local Area Network) or EVP-LAN (Ethernet Virtual Private LAN) service is a multipoint-to-multipoint Ethernet virtual connection service defined by the MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum). The MEF also defined an E-Line service for point-to-point Ethernet virtual connection service and an E-Tree service for point-to-multipoint Ethernet virtual connection service.
A conventional TDM (Time-division multiplexing) SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy)-based network has evolved into an Ethernet line-based PTN (Packet Transport Network). Further, point-to-point services, including an E-LAN service that connects multiple nodes via a virtual Ethernet, have been in increasing demand.